Correcting misinformation on Jasper Mountain...

I have been provided your emails by my staff who monitor the accuracy of
information on the internet. In this case I understand the internet
source to be a foster parent support group of some kind. I have been
provided the posting on this site mentioning Jasper Mountain and I want
to correct misinformation in these postings. It appears that there are
people concerned about the safety and treatment of children at Jasper
Mountain and I want to provide you assurances that the children are very
well cared for.



--No twelve year old client in the last month was killed when she
“jumped out of a transport van and was struck by a car.� This did not
happen in the last month or anytime over the last 25 years of agency
operations.



--Contrary to postings to the contrary, since the agency began in 1982
no child has ever stopped breathing either during a “safe hold� or at
any other time.



--Despite postings to the contrary no child’s heart has ever stopped
during a hold or at any other time.



--Jasper Mountain has never had a child transported to the
hospital/emergency room via ambulance or by EMT’s and thus the use of
“paddles� to resuscitate any child did not occur.



Perhaps all of the above took place related to some other organization,
but not involving Jasper Mountain. The article in the Eugene Register
Guard on 12/22/07 (referenced in the discussion) pertained to injuries
that occurred 14 to 24 months previously and the lawsuit a personal
injury attorney has been pursuing for over a year. All three injuries
were investigated in great detail and found to be accidental and
unfounded for any type of abuse on the part of the agency and its staff.
The newspaper continues to attempt to generate controversy but for the
most part they have been unsuccessful. Since we readily accept violent
children into our program we know there is always a chance of injury,
although our injury record over the years is excellent. Lawsuits
related to accidents are unfortunately quite routine in our society
(although this is our agency’s first such suit) and the insurance
company will likely offer the attorney money to resolve the matter. I
hope this is helpful.



Dave Ziegler

Executive Director